Smartwatches are part of the big new tech push for things seniors can wear to offer safety, information, and help when needed.
Unlike an emergency button worn around the neck, a smartwatch doesn't look like an alarm device; it looks just like a watch, but it does much more.
The Burg Smartwatch Phone is a complete phone in a watch, allowing three programmable phone numbers and GPS tracking. It can connect to a smartphone if you wish, but it is not necessary.
New on the market in Europe is the Omate Wherecom 3 and it is specially built for seniors, according to Gizmag.
The watch is designed for simplicity, offering only essential features to the user. First, it has a simple watch face, but it is also an emergency phone with an SOS button. A GPS located is built in so the wearer can be located. And it has a pill reminder that first vibrates and then issues a tone, which can be turned off for concerts or church services. The Wherecom 3 will be available in Europe in September, but will soon be offered in the U.S.
Available now is the Caref GPS Phone Watch. Priced at just under $100, it also looks and functions like a watch, but it is also a phone that sends and receives calls.
The Medical Alert SmartWatch by Sharper Image gives time, day, date, temperature, and battery level, all displayed on a large two-inch screen with jumbo digits. It will give up to 10 reminder alerts for medication, doctors appoints or meetings. Priced under $100.
The Lively watch is a system and activity hub for independent seniors. Plug in the hub in any outlet and then attach sensors to important things: a pill box or the refrigerator, for example. An emergency button connects to a monitoring system that will contact a live operator to dispatch emergency services. It can give medication reminders, too. A new feature planned this year automatically detects when a person has fallen.
Smartwatch technology can make life safer, but you have to remember to put on the watch.